Aches, Pains and Topicals

Topicals are the reason I fell in love with the healing benefits of cannabis. Ask anyone in our office, and they’ll tell you I can be seen smearing cannabis cream on my skin on a regular basis. And it works. I’ve seen seniors with hands crippled from arthritis flex their knuckles for the first time in years after using cannabis-based topicals. I have a friend who broke more bones in his body than anyone else at the hospital, and topicals are the only way he can sleep at night.

Topicals are great for inflammation, pain and itchiness. There’s still a lot of research to be done on the effectiveness of a THC-heavy vs. a CBD-rich topical vs. a hybrid, although it’s generally accepted in this industry that these two compounds are most effective as a pair to truly experience the anti-inflammatory benefits. Until we have the hard science to back this claim, the best approach is to try a few products and see what works best for you. Here are some ways topicals ease pain and discomfort in my life:

• Sore Muscles: I run on a regular basis and one of my favorite things to do, post-6 miles or more, is to take a long soak with cannabis bath salts to revive my muscles afterward.
  
• Midday headache: One of our favorite things in the office after a long day of meetings or writing is to rub a little bit of CBD-rich cream on our temples, behind our ears and the back of our necks. We prefer a product with eucalyptus in it for that extra tingle.
• Dry skin: Another great thing about the current topical market is that in addition to the cannabis components, organic naturopathic ingredients, such as coconut and other essential oils, can assist with the soothing properties. They have multiple uses, and a little goes a long way! After a fun day of skiing, I love to cover my face and lips with a nice coconut-based topical.